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Carnage Vol 2 14
** ** Supporting Characters: * * ** ** Antagonists: * * * Broodlings of Chthon ** ** Numerous unnamed others Other Characters: * * * * * Captain O'Brien * * Races and Species: * * * * * * * Locations: * ** *** **** ***** ***** Broodling Village ** ** ** * Items: * * * * * * Altar of Chthon Vehicles: * 19th century whaling ship * Caspian Sea (a freighter) | Synopsis1 = Loping through the jungle, Man-Wolf revels in the freedom of being able to run and hunt freely, spotting a wild boar and devouring it to satiate his hunger. Hearing voices reacting to the boar's death shriek, Man-Wolf looks up to see Manuala Calderon and Victoria Montesi leading the Anti-Carnage task force. Manuela asks Victoria about the Broodlings of Chthon, and Victoria states that they're half-human abominations sired by sailors who were shipwrecked on the island. Manuala asks what they wanted with Carnage, and Victoria states they want to summon their master Chthon and release his evil upon the world. Eddie Brock interrupts, asking that they keep it down for Jubulile's sake, since their creepy talk is scaring her. Victoria replies that Jubulile should be scared, since if Carnage succeeds in awakening Chthon then the human race will go extinct. Man-Wolf waits until the group leaves before resuming his galavanting, but his enjoyment is soured due to the sight and smells of the Anti-Carnage task force rousing memories of his human self, and he lets out a howl of rage and fear. In the Chthonic Temple, Carnage gleefully reads passages of the Darkhold to Raze, who expresses confusion at how he can comprehend the unintelligible scribbles. Carnage remarks that at first he couldn't understand the scribbles either, but the more he read the more he was able to comprehend, as though the book was speaking to him. As Carnage quotes another passage, Raze scoffs and Carnage asks if she thinks he's making it up. Raze retorts that she doesn't know what she thinks anymore, and that the symbiote he infected her with has bound her to his will. Carnage gestures at the non-Euclidian architecture of the temple as proof the Darkhold is right, explaining that millions of years ago two groups of gods — one good and one evil — fought a war against one another. The evil gods lost and were sealed away, but their leader, Chthon, wrote the Darkhold as a means of escaping from his prison. As they descend a spiral staircase into the temple's depths, Carnage states that Chthon chose him to be the "Red Slayer" that sets him free, and proclaims that makes him the most important person in the world. In the jungle, Manuela processes the information about the war between the Elder Gods, and asks where Victoria comes in. Victoria states that her bloodline was naturally immune to the corruption of the Darkhold and that the men of the family were charged with preventing the evil Elder Gods from returning. However, her father, Vittorio, discovered he was sterile and went insane, using the Darkhold to sire a child. In return, when Victoria came of age Chthon impregnated her with himself, intending on using her body to manifest. Victoria's allies foiled Chthon's plan, but Victoria never forgot the feeling of her most hated enemy gestating inside her. Expressing sympathy, Manuela hugs Victoria, who caresses her cheek in return, to Eddie's bemusement. They are abruptly attacked by a horde of Broodlings and Eddie is wounded shielding Jubulile. Victoria tells Yuvraj to get Jubulile to safety, but Man-Wolf abruptly arrives and helps slaughter the Broodlings. Enraged by Yuvraj calling out to him by his human name, Man-Wolf prepares to attack but instead turns and flees into the jungle. In the bowls of the temple, Raze anxiously observes lit torches lining the walls and remarks that the "frog people" are now lighting their way, but Carnage tells her to relax since the Darkhold has already informed him of what's to come. Entering a room filled with Escherian staircases, they are greeted by a male Broodling who introduces himself as Obrien, high priest to Chthon and last male descendant of the Captain of the same name. Addressing them as the Red Slayer and his Blood Bride, Obrien proclaims they have come to their hour of destiny, to Carnage's amusement. Man-Wolf reaches the entrance of the Chthonic temple, instinctively drawn to it by an overwhelming sense of duty. As Man-Wolf pauses to consider this, he is tackled from behind by Toxin. After a brief brawl between the werewolf and symbiote, Manuela smashes the Godstone in Man-Wolf's neck. As the other members of the task force arrive, Toxin asks if shattering the stone will work, and Manuela reminds him of what happened when Carnage tore it out in Grey Ridge Mine. As Jameson returns to human form, Victoria tells Singh he'd said Jameson was learning to control his bestial side. Singh replies that some battles take longer than hoped for and are not easily won, passing Jameson some new clothes. Returned to his senses, Jameson apologizes profusely and says they should have left him to the jungle, since his inability to control Godstone makes him an even greater threat to the team than Carnage. Returning to human form, Toxin retorts that werewolves and symbiotes are on completely different power levels. When Victoria states Jameson has a point, Manuela rebukes her, saying that as a fellow soldier she refuses to leave her comrades behind. Victora steps close to Manuela and flirtatiously states she's attractive when she's got her back up, embarassing her before stating to the group that with the Godstone shattered Jameson isn't a danger until it reconstitutes itself. Jubulile interrupts, her eyes glowing red as she states that Carnage is present. When Eddie asks if she means he's still in her head, she states that he's not only in her head but in the temple and has found the Alter of Chthon, adding that they were waiting for him. When Manuela asks who she's referring to, Jubulile taps into her psychic link to Carnage and parrots Obrien's prayer to Chthon as he prepares the ritual. Eddie interrupts, asking if the Broodlings are the same ones who wanted to kill Carnage. Victoria states they weren't killing him but purifying him in preparation for a blood ritual, and asks Jubulile if she can lead them through the temple. Jubulile replies that she can, but they they're too late and were always going to be too late. In the temple's depths, Carnage and Raze stand on an upsidedown staircase watching Obrien prepare the ritual. Raze asks if Carnage realizes that they intend to sacrifice him, and he replies that they're no different than the Darkholders in Grey Ridge Mine, sinisterly adding that none of them really know the Darkhold like he does. Extending his claws into blades, Carnage remarks the reason the Darkhold calls him the Red Slayer isn't because he's going to be sacrificed to resurrect Chthon. Lunging at Obrein and the other Broodlings in a flurry of bladed tendrils, Carnage proclaims that they are the sacrifice. | Solicit = • Behold the history of the Darkhold! • For many months now, Carnage believed the Darkhold held a great prophecy for himself, but what if he was wrong? • Meanwhile, what truths must the Anti-Carnage Task Force about themselves? | Notes = * This issue erroneously conflates the group of Elder Gods that Chthon is part of with the Old Ones. | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = }} Category:Digital Comic Code included